Pizzelle – Italian Waffle Cookies

I have a huge soft spot in my heart for pizzelle. Growing up, it was extremely rare to walk into my grandma’s house and not find a large tin of pizzelles waiting to be eaten (they were usually sitting right next to the huge tin of biscotti that were also a staple in her house). My grandma doesn’t get to cook and bake as much as she used to, so I don’t feast on Italian baked goods quite as often anymore. I do try to bake biscotti on a fairly regular basis, but I have only made pizzelle a couple of times, always around the holidays.

I had just been thinking about how I was craving a good pizzelle when I went with my Chief Culinary Consultant to visit his Nana and she showed us a book she had received – Always on Sunday – which is about growing up Italian. The author is based in Pittsburgh, but it’s a wonderful book for anyone who is Italian and shared family traditions, no matter where you grew up. We started leafing through it and found a number of delicious-sounding recipes in the back of the book. There was a recipe for pizzelle so I scribbled it down on a notepad and less than two days later I had my pizzelle iron out and ready to go!

For those that are not familiar, pizzelle are traditional Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, some type of fat (butter, shortening or oil), and flavorings (the most popular are vanilla and anise). I have had many different pizzelles and depending on the ratio of ingredients you can get them paper thin and crispy, thick and soft, or any variation in between. This recipe (and my personal preference) is for pizzelle that are about in the middle in terms of thickness and have a nice crunch, but don’t crumble apart when you bite into them.

Notes on the recipe:

♦ You do need a pizzelle iron to make these, but they are fairly inexpensive. You can find many varieties on Amazon, as well as at stores such Bed Bath & Beyond and local Italian groceries (which is where mine came from).

♦ If your pizzelle iron is stainless steel, you will want to spray it lightly with Pam (or whatever oil spray you prefer) before you start. I find that one spray in the beginning is sufficient since the fat from the recipe usually will act as a non-stick agent as well.

♦ I find that when I drop the batter onto the iron, putting it slightly above the center of the circle ensures that the batter spreads the whole way to the back of the mold. For some reason if I drop it exactly in the center the back of the cookie doesn’t get fully molded (you can see this in the bottom right picture above).

♦ You can do many different things with pizzelle – different flavorings, roll them while still warm and fill with cannoli filling, or sandwich two between chocolate ganache or your favorite icing. I have even been known to eat a pizzelle with peanut butter spread on top. The possibilities are endless!

Pizzelles are great. I’m really surprised they are not more popular but they have always been a Christmas staple in our family. You can also add a handful of anise seeds into your batter. I store them in air tight tins and after a day or two they are a little crispier and smell great. They go perfectly with a cup of coffee!

These are a holiday staple at my house. My mom adds a twist to some of them — I think she adds some coconut flavoring to the pizzelle, then she cuts them into quarters and dips the wide end into melted chocolate. Then she sprinkles them with some toasted coconut before the chocolate hardens. I have been known to eat tins full of those…

I know this is an old blog but I’m looking to see if you can freeze them. I too use anise seeds but I use a mortar and pestle to crush them a bit to release the oil. I love them. The recipe handed down to me uses a bit of lemon and orange extract (less than the anise extract) but I don’t taste them, it must enhance the anise flavorings. I believe my recipe has been doubled in the past before handing down to me as it takes a dozen eggs and 6 1/2ish cups of flour. I will continue to read and see if any one ever freezes their pizzelles. Thanks

I always make Pizelle for Christmas – can’t seem to make enough. I either add anise extract or lemon zest to the batter. My recipe is very similar to yours except I use vegetable oil instead of butter.
Hmm..I think I will get out that pizelle maker…

yes, the pizeelles are really beautiful. I was tempeted to buy the pan years ago but due to space constraint I had to forget it. End of this year, I’m upgrading my kitchen, it’s time to get the pizzelle pan in! Thank you for the recipe!

I don’t know what it is about pizzelle, but I just love them! I think the recipe you used is the exact same one I use when I make the traditional pizzelle. I tend to make them around the holidays, but seeing your post is making me crave them, so I may have to make some soon.

Hello!!! My daughter, who lives in San Diego, told me about your blog…particularlly this post which mentions my book, Always on Sunday, and my recipe for pizzelles!!! As you can imagine, I was very , very excited and honored. My book has been out for one year, and I just recently published a companion cookbook which consists of many of our treasured Italian family recipes. I would like to send you a copy of my first book and also the new cookbook. If you would kindly contact me,either on my website or e-mail, I’d love to chat with you!
Marcia A. Russotto

my mother in law used to make it ahead of time and she used to use half butter and half margarine she said if you use the cold batter then come out better and like everything else Italian its always better the next day

I am a follower of your blog. I was just thinking about making pizzelles and remember you had a recipe. My question is all the recipes I have seen have baking powder Does add or not add the Baking powder make a difference?

My recipe actually does not use baking powder; baking powder typically allows baked goods to rise while baking in the oven – think cookies that have a little puff to them instead of being totally flat. I don’t see any reason why baking powder would be needed in pizzelle. I hope you enjoy them!

Oh, quite far. My grandma would make hundreds of pizzelle at a time and just keep them in tins for visitors (and hungry family!). Because they are a hard, drier cookie you could do them at least a couple of weeks in advance for when you need them. Just store them in a sealed container.

Hi Ethan, pizzelle irons are actually very different than waffle irons. They don’t have deep wells but rather are flat. I’ve never put pizzelle batter into a regular waffle iron so I have no idea what would happen 😉 But you could try!

OH! My Nonna makes these too! We always have them with a slight anise flavour and we eat them plain. One of the many joys of our visits to her. My dad (an Australian) absolutely LOVES them. I might have to give this recipe a go for him. I’m sure Nonna wouldn’t mind if I borrowed the iron…

I purchased a pizzelle maker two Christmases ago for my mother. I seem to be the one that spends a day making several batches. We normally make the traditional and chocolate. Today I decided on coconut which turned out pretty good. More coconut flakes and extract next. Your recipe you posted is slightly different than mine and have copied it down to make on my next round.

I do have a question….I have attempted in the past to shape them into a bowl or cannoli shape but cannot do it without the cookie cracking. Do you have a trick on this?

When I worked in a shop we used to make homemade waffle cones for ice cream and all. The trick is just to do it as fast as possible. I would say just take pizzelle out of maker, and as quick as possible use a cylinder shape…and you could do a cone that way. The key is being quick before it sets. I’m sure it would be the same for pizzelle cookies as it would for waffles being they work in the same way. The only difference is the how Thick the waffles are, compared to the Pizzelles. Good Luck* Also, I am wanting to make huge batches of this to then send gift boxes, or tins of these.to family. My Mom and I would make these every Christmas for our family, and since My Mom passed many years ago, I thought about making everyone in our family a tin/box of these, but what I am wondering is… if I am sending these like a gift package… what else could I put in with the pizzelles…to add to the gift box for Christmas? Any ideas? Something I could make large batches of, that won’t take me broke lol Thank you

I have done both the cannoli shells and the bowls with the pizzelle cookies… The key is to immediately take a cookie off the iron and roll it around a wooden dowel or cannoli aluminum mold… Put the seam side down on the counter and allow it to cool completely before you slide it off the mold. They come out perfect.
On the bowls, I used 2 custard cups (straight sided ramekins) and you take the cookie right off the iron and center them on the custard cup which is upside down, then gently put another cup over that to form the cup… Make sure it is completely cooled before removing the top cup. This makes a nice little bowl for fruits, pudding, ice cream.
You can also make ice cream cones by molding the cookie around a tapered wooden dowel.
If you cut the cookies in 1/4 when they are very hot, you can let them cool, then dip the round end in chocolate and use them to garnish your desserts. The ideas are endless!

I love pizelles and make them all the time….3 different electric machines but my older 2 make them very , very thin…they are not in existence anymore (the machines) the new ones make thick pizelles…thanks for the blog and rice ball recipe….is put ricotta in the rice mixture and are delicious….

Pizzelles are a family Christmas tradition and when I got married and moved away from the more Italian dominate area of the country for California she bought me my very own pizzelle press.

I’ve been making them for the past 7 Christmas seasons in multiple batches and I just ran into my first problem. I don’t know if it’s something I did (over beated, used the wrong size egg, etc) or if it’s time to retire my press. My pizzelles were uneven thickness. I like them thin and crunchy. The back of the press was such but as it got to the front they were thicker and soft. Any suggestions?

Hi Shelly, It sounds like part of the oven isn’t heating up enough. I’m not sure if your model latches shut or needs to be held close once the batter is in there, but I would make sure that something isn’t broken with the closing mechanism, or make sure you are holding it shut tight.

Just made these today using my Grandmothers pizzelle iron, at least 30 years old, and they turned out great! My family loved them. I am attempting your nut roll recipe later today, I can’t wait! Thank you for all of your fabulous recipes!

Now that Spring has officially “sprung”…I’m turning to your wonderful pizzelles/brigadini recipe to make homemade “cones”…Question…is it possible to sub Pernod, Ricard or another anis–based liqueur for the anis extract?..I cannot seem to locate this in this particular corner of France…Also..I have an old Tuscan recipe for Brigadini which uses olive oil instead of butter…would this work as well?..I love to add a scattering of anis seeds too for the pretty texture..I love your blog..am an avid/devoted follower…and miss Regent Square…Point Breeze…all things Steelers…the PEOPLE!!!! …LOVE “Y’UNS” …You are a stellar talent in such a wonderfully rich and humane city…Thanks for all you do and share with us..

Hi Donna, You could definitely use an anise-based liquor, and throw in anise seeds. You can also use olive oil in place of the butter; the texture will be a little different, but still delicious! My grandma always used oil in her pizzelle, but unfortunately she never wrote down a recipe 🙁 Thank you for all the kind words about Pittsburgh! Love my hometown!

These baked up very nicely and crisp. My daughter loved them but for myself I felt they were a little to sweet and thicker then what I like. I will keep this recipe but next time I will leave out some of the sugar and some flour. It was quite a thick batter.

Hi Barb, These particular pizzelles or other recipes in general? I know that air temperature and humidity can play a factor. If you don’t have central air conditioning and it’s humid, the pizzelles will never crisp up. My grandma would never make them if it was raining out, or too humid during the summer. I have central air so I make them whenever, but the air can definitely be a factor.

We’re doing a cookie table for an upcoming wedding and are asking ourselves a few questions that maybe you can help with:
1. Has anyone tried freezing their pizzelles?
2. For airtight – does it matter whether we use a tin or tupperware or just a ziplock bag?
3. If we want a crisp and thin version, do we skip the bkg powder as you did here and go for a thicker rather than a thinner batter?
4. If we are using the AC on a warm but not wet day, do you recommend leaving the cookies on racks for a longer time or a shorter time for a cripser cookie? An hour or a day?
We normally make these cookies only at Christmas and since it is a summer wedding we are anxious to get them right. Thank you so much!

1. I’ve never frozen pizzelles. They have an incredibly long shelf life (my grandma would keep hers in tins for months), plus I find they get eaten quickly 😉

2. Any of those would work.

3. I’m not sure if you want a thin and crispy pizzelle or a thicker version? This recipe yields a slightly thicker, but still crispy, pizzelle.

4. You just need to cool the pizzelles on the racks until they are completely cool and hard. How long will just depend on the temperature in your house/kitchen. It usually don’t take very long, though. Just pick them up and check to ensure they are completely cool and hard.

I freeze these all the time. If not crisp enough, I lay them on a cookie sheet, and bake them at 275* for 3-5 minutes. This can be done right after making them, or whenever you take an amount out of the freezer. They stay crisp (in baggies) forever after that.

Hi Claudette, If it’s humid in your house, this could cause it. My grandma would never make pizzelles when it was going to rain. You may have also stacked them or stored them before they were completely cool.

Made your pizzelle’s and loved them! Thank you for the wonderful recipe, my Italian family approved and thought they were delicious! I posted the process on my blog, thank you for the inspiration. Buon Natale!

Hi Michelle! When you say 1 cup butter, melted – do you mean 16 tablespoons melted or melted butter that fits in a 1 measuring cup? Sorry, I ALWAYS get thrown off when it comes to butter + cups? I don’t know which way to take it? Can you please explain.

I noticed you mentioned your Grandmother’s recipe had oil instead of butter. I prefer the oil recipe. The pizzelli are a lot lighter and I find the they stay fresher longer. I got my recipe from an Italian friend and it the best I have found:
6 eggs
3/4 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp brandy liquor / anise flavoring (I use the oil instead of extract)
In a food processor, mix the eggs, oil and sugar. Then add baking powder and liquor/flavoring and mix. Then add the flour and mix well. She said for chocolate pizzelli melt about 2oz. of semi-sweet chocolate with 1/2 tsp of milk in the microwave and add it when mixing in the baking powder and liquor/flavoring. Bake according to your pizzelli maker instructions.

Google has brought me to your wonderful blog. I have made some candied walnut and miso ice cream, for some reason I have a craving for topping these with a malted waffle. I don’t have a waffle iron but I’m sure I can get away with a hot pan.

I got this bright idea to make the cookies, researched popular brands, settled on the Cuizinart, at a modest price etc. I couldn’t wait to get started. Brought it home, read the instructions, and low and behold from the 1st cookie on, they are perfect. Today I am going to experiment with different recipes and flavorings. I am planning to gift wrap and give them to family and friends. Money being tight this year, these are a thoughtful and delicious way to remember family and friends with a treat that comes from your home and heart. “What a great idea”>I said to myself. Merry Christmas 20013 !

Saw your blog, I wonder if you can help me make better shaped pizzelles. I make pretty good pizzelles but some come out oval, some to small some to large. Should I put more dough on the iron and snip off all the overflow? What do you do? Thanks Dave

Excellent recipe – I just moved and lost my tattered recipe book which held a lot of my mothers recipes and cooking tips… so when I found your recipe I noticed it looked like moms and it tastes the same – I did note that cooking times decreased the longer the iron was hot!

I’m enjoying reading the discussion. I’ve been making pizzelles since 1990, and this year marked a kind of turning point. I gave my son-in-law and daughter their own pizzelle maker. I always used Villa Ware, but they stopped carrying them. Fortunately, a brand called Cucina Pro is available and the iron appears to be made in the same factory, as it’s indistinguishable from the Villa Ware model. The first year I used anise extract and found the cookies less flavorful than I cared for. My Italian uncle then told me he always uses anise oil, and I have done so ever since. I came to this blog because another friend of mine whose husband just gave her an iron asked me if they could be frozen. Like many of you, I’ve found that storage is never a problem 🙂 One thing I will mention that I haven’t seen talked about is that over the years I’ve gone from one iron to two at a time, and last year to three. Most years I make between five and seven batches of 10 dozen to a batch, so I need to step up production. Believe it or not, it works, as long as you stay focused. I line them up side by side, and take them out in the order I put them in. Each year I burn one or two, but more good news — my grandson loves the burnt ones. Thanks for this discussion.

haha….It’s 2015 but I was wondering about freezing some and came across this blog. I have a Villa Ware iron also and love it. My friend bought an iron years ago and was unhappy as it made a slightly thicker Pizzelle. I was thinking about buying a back up as they are harder to find. I seen the Cucina Pro on Amazon. I crush some anise seeds and add them to the anise extract. I love lots of anise flavor but tone it down as my Mom said it was too intense one year. It’s an individual taste thing. Everyone I give them to that never heard of Pizzelles before love them. One friend bought her own iron last year. I have never “burned” one but some get pretty dark brown but I like them too. I prefer the lightly to medium golden brown colors. I don’t care as much for the ones that look the same color as dough out of the mixing bowl as they taste under done to me-another personal preference I guess.

Hi, I make these very often. Yes you can freeze them and they come out even more crispy. I also add color sprinkles & coconut & they are great. Once I tried some chocolate sprinkles but did not care for them. When I sprinkle powdered sugar over them when I remove from Pizzelle maker I add some cinnamon sugar and gives them a better flavor….They are time consuming but well worth it..I do recommend you try these…Your friends & family will simply love and want more.:)

My family likes them very anise flavored. I generally put in 2 oz or two small bottles of flavoring. I have a cousin that uses anise oil. Anyone know what would be better? Also I just throw a couple extra spoon fulls of flour to compensate for the extra liquid… Love them!

My Villaware Prego Pizzelle Baker Non-Stick “sticks”. I have preheated long enough for the light to go from orange (red) to green and back. I understand that the first two sticks, but to have a whole batch stick was not fun. Very frustrating to say the least. I have followed the recipes instruction from the manufacturer’s pamphet and not one cookie came out whole. What am I doing wrong?. I have tried to apply a small film of oil on the plates as well and oiled. I also compare the recipe with my mom’s, no difference, her’s come out mine don’t. Pleeeezzze help.

I am having this problem as well. I made two batches of dough and one was perfect, the other one is sticking every time. All I can figure is that I over-mixed the batch that is sticking (because I did mix it longer than the other and my recipe is very specific about avoiding over-mixing). I think the dough is too thick when over mixed.

Anita – I have a well seasoned maker. I think it’s like a iron frying pan. I don’t ever wash the plates. Each time I use my iron for the first time, I take a tiny bit of veg oil and apply it to the plates using a basting/pastry brush. I then make a few “test for taste” Pizzelles and with each one they finally will release using a fork, or better yet, a Small pair of tongs. I find it takes about three cookies to be perfect. My Pizzelles come off in pairs (like butterfly wings) I let them cool before I separate them. Hope that helps!

That’s so sad. So much work with little results. I too never wash the plates. Some people spray a bit of Pam at the beginning but I don’t. The first few usually are throw aways for me. When I’m done and the plates have cooled completely I use a soft wire brush to brush any crumbs out. If I see where some dough stuck in the indentation I use a wooden toothpick and it pops out. If you had a lot of sticking you may have to be sure all the indentations are cleaned out but don’t wash them. My recipe calls for oil and once you bake two or three (mine also bakes 2 at a time) the oil has coated the plate and I don’t have any trouble with the rest. I hope things come out better next time but do check your plates for any baked dough that is clogging the indentations. Also, mine is not teflon coated so if yours is, the toothpick may scratch the teflon and you don’t want that either.

I started trying recipes for the cookie table at my daughter’s wedding next April. I always have trouble keeping my pizzelles crispy. I tried you recipe last night and my husband cannot stop saying hoe delicious they are. I always check your page first when I look for a recipe. Your pizzelles will definitely make it to the cookie table.

I have been making Pizzelles for Christmas for many years now. I use the same ingredients as your recipe and in the same amounts, except for the Anise. I do use extract and would guess the amount to be about 4 Tbls. My latest batch, which I made last night, I also added 1 Tbl. of lemon zest. They are fantastic! You get the Anise flavor, but it’s not “in your face” and the lemon zest gives them “bright fresh” taste (no lemon taste). These are my best yet! I have learned to make a small Pizzelle, taste, adjust the batter and make another til I’m satisfied. Then the “two spoon” production begins. This recipe makes about 3 dozen. I planned this latest batch for my Christmas Eve party, but we can’t stop eating them! I may be up late Wednesday night making more!!